Home Depot to recycle CFL’s

Home Depot announced  today they will recycle CFL’s in stores at the return counter.

They also have a plan to change out there existing light bulbs in the stores.

It’s nice to see more easy ways to recycle CFL’s.  You can read about it here

WalMart Reusable Bags- Make them FREE

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, by now, you know eliminating the use of plastic bags is one of my personal priorities.

 

Wal-Mart recently reviewed their policy on offering $1.00 reusable bags in their stores.
They are rightfully touting the impact they are having, but it could be SO MUCH MORE.
(A Snippet of the release is below)

 

I truly don’t understand why a company as big as Wal-Mart wants to charge for reusable bags.
The average customer is so much more likely to try using a reusable bag if it doesn’t cost extra.

Why don’t they just print Wal-Mart on the bag and chalk it up to advertising expense.

 

Think how many MORE shoppers would use and hopefully bring back a reusable bag if it was free. 

 

I think they could start today and adopt a policy that a year from now only reusable bags will be used in their stores.  During this year the bags are free and next year you have to pay the $1.00 if you don’t have your bag to use or bring it in for exchange if it is worn out.

 

Maybe we should email Wal-Mart and suggest they make the bags FREE for 1 year.

Do you think this is a good idea or have other thoughts on ways large retailers can help solve the plastic bag issue?

 

 

How about it Wal-Mart?? 

 

SNIPPET
Bag Facts

In October 2007, we began selling reusable bags in all of our Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets for $1

each. Selling reusable bags is good for our business because it reduces the number of plastic bags we need to produce. More importantly,

it benefits our customers. Not only can we pass these savings along to our customers, but by using a reusable bag, our customers can

reduce the amount of waste that they generate.

• Our initial estimates show that each reusable bag will eliminate the need for at least 150 plastic disposable bags over its lifetime. We

have sold enough bags to eliminate the need for at least 800 million disposable bags.

• Each of the black reusable bags are made with recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) plastic generated from approximately four

soda or water bottles.

• About the size of a regular paper bag, the reusable bags are expected to hold approximately the same weight as two to three regular,

disposable plastic bags.

• When the bag wears out, customers can return it to their local Wal-Mart store for recycling. We will combine the worn bags with the rest

of the used plastic generated by our stores into our super sandwich balers, where it will be bundled and sent to a certified recycler for

processing. So far, we estimate that we’ve diverted more than 97 million pounds of plastic from landfills.

Recycling at Best Buy

Here is a press release from Best Buy today June 2.

If you are in a test city please send us reviews on how the program worked for you.

Program to expand the electronics, appliance recycling options available to consumers

MINNEAPOLIS, June 2 – Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) has launched a test of its newest electronics recycling program to in 117 U.S. stores, a complementary addition to the existing programs offered by Best Buy stores to help consumers take environmentally-responsible action with their old electronics.Starting June 1, 117 stores in the Baltimore, San Francisco, and Minnesota markets are inviting customers to bring in no more than two (2) units per day, per household, for recycling at no charge. Customers can bring items such as televisions and monitors up to 32”, computers, phones, cameras, and other electronics devices and peripherals in for recycling.

The following items cannot be accepted through this program:

• Televisions or monitor screens greater than 32”
• Console televisions
• Air conditioners
• Microwaves
• Appliances (customers are invited instead to use Best Buy’s appliance haul-away and pick-up programs)

 

Best Buy will work with its stores, recycling partners, and manufacturers to evaluate the success of the test and determine options for scaling it across the U.S.

Meanwhile, Best Buy continues to offer these electronics and appliance recycling options, available in every U.S. store:

• Recycling kiosks: at the front of every store, ink cartridges, rechargeable batteries, cell phones, CDs, DVDs, and PDA/smart phones can be dropped off for free recycling
• Appliance and television haul-away: Best Buy will remove an old or obsolete appliance or television free of charge from a consumers’ home when a new product is purchased and delivered by Best Buy Home Delivery or Geek Squad Home Theater Installation Service.
• Appliance and television pick-up: For $100, Best Buy will arrange a home visit to remove up to two (2) appliance units and/or televisions for recycling, with $20 for each additional unit.
• Tech Trade-In: Visit www.bestbuytradein.com to trade in select gently used electronics for a Best Buy gift card.

As You Sow, an investor corporate accountability group that engaged with Best Buy on its electronics recycling programs, praised the company’s action.  “We salute Best Buy for taking the initiative to offer free electronics take back at a number of its stores,” said Conrad MacKerron, director of corporate social responsibility, As You Sow.  “Making electronics recycling almost as easy as purchasing these goods has the potential to simplify recycling for millions of consumers who may be confused about where to return end-of-life goods in their area.”

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) operates an international portfolio of brands with a commitment to growth and innovation.  Our employees strive to provide customers around the world with superior experiences by responding to their unique needs and aspirations.  We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services through nearly 1,300 retail stores across the United States, throughout Canada and in China. Our multi-channel operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com, BestBuy.ca and BestBuy.com.cn), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca), Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers (PacificSales.com), Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com), Jiangsu Five Star Appliance Co. (Five-Star.cn) and Speakeasy (Speakeasy.net). Best Buy supports the communities in which its employees work and live through volunteerism and grants that benefit children and education

Green your office paper

Going green in your home office is a step by step program. I try new ideas all the time to see what works for me.

Printing less and using less paper is a win-win for me. My home office goes green and I stay more organized.
After trying to reduce your home office use of paper as much as possible, it’s still unavoidable that you’ll need paper and printing supplies.

Now it’s time to make sure you are using sustainable paper options

Luckily there are many green paper options available. Your local office or stationery store probably carries recycled paper. I think it’s fun to look around at the different options recycled paper now comes in. There’s really no excuse for using virgin paper when there are so many tree-friendly types available. You can order bulk supplies online from many retailers as well.

My favorite source for everything a green home office might need is The Green Office. In addition to extensive paper choices, they offer all kinds of green office products from furniture to phones to ink.

Take a look at the Green Office site to see what you might need. As fun as shopping at the local retailer is, saving my time and my gas by shopping on-line is the way I choose to go.

Always make sure you really need paper, or printing supplies before you order them. Try to order at least a few months supply at a time to save on packaging and shipping.

Electric Coop aids in Recycling CFL Bulbs

Going green in my home office just got a little easier.

Make sure you take time to read the newsletters from your utility company.

In the most recent addition of Consolidated Electrics’ “Between the Lines” they announced a generous recyling plan.

All you have to do is bring your old light bulbs, incandescent or CFL to the Community annual meeting of members on May 17 and they will have several receptacles available for proper disposal
PLUS they will give you a new CFL bulb for taking the initiative to recycle.

If you need information about the proper way to recycle CFL’s read, Know the Compact Fluorescent Facts

Check your local electric company website and see if they have a similar plan.

If you see an idea worth sharing please post it here.

Bag Review

When my Flip and Tumble reusable bags arrived in my mailbox I was surprised, all 7 bags I ordered were neatly packed into one envelope. I didn’t realize they were so small. When the bag is in the attached pouch it’s a tad smaller than a baseball. It reminds me a lot of the hacky sacks my son used to play with when he was younger.

Now that I have had a chance to do some shopping with the bags here’s my review.

What I like about the bag

1) Colors- I love the color choices, so many eco-friendly bags are boring green.
Raspberry is my favorite.

2) It is ultra light weight; I don’t even know it’s in my purse. I can easily toss 5 in my small purse.

3) The bag stretches to hold all types and sizes of objects.

4) The shoulder strap makes it much easier to carry than a traditional plastic bag.

5) It’s effortless – putting in back in the pouch is sorta fun and that makes it easy to remember to toss it back in the purse for the next time.

What I didn’t like

1) The bag is wrinkled when it comes out of the pouch, no big deal.

2) The price seems to be a little on the high side, but I think it’s worth paying a little extra to have a bag I like, because I will use it.

If you don’t have a reusable bag I recommend ordering a flip and tumble.

Useful Junk Mail?

Junk mail is a real issue irritation for me.

There are ways to try to reduce junk mail. but they take time, and lots of it.
So while you are waiting for your www.greendimes.com service to reduce your junk mail, why not try and find ways to use all that paper instead of throwing it into the landfill.

I shred most of my junk mail and save it for packing items that have to be shipped.

I dream about using the shreds to make my own beautiful homemade paper, but doubt I’ll ever take the time to do that.
If you do make your own paper I would love to hear and learn about it.

This article on using the paper to mulch is very interesting. Frugality in Practice: Turn Your Junk Mail into Garden Mulch

If you have used paper for mulching or have another idea on how to use junk mail please share it.

Recycle Reuse old CD’s

One of my favorite summer past times is hanging flower gardens.  Each spring I try to pick just the right flowers to bring color and energy to my front porch.  They make me smile every time I look out the window and I can’t think of a better way to say WELCOME to my home.

For some reason the birds in my neighborhood also look forward to my hanging gardens.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy hearing the birds sing and watching them frolic around.  They are welcome to seek refuge in any of my dozens of trees, but the hanging gardens on my front porch are not intended to be their home.  Getting the birds to nest in the trees instead of my baskets is about as easy as getting Obama and Clinton to agree on who should be the Democratic presidential nominee.

I was ready to head to the store to buy those foil pin wheels to try, but now that I am focused on being green in my home office I find that thought process follows me around in everything I do.  So I decided to look around and see what I might already have that would work.  I did a little search on the net and found a suggestion of using an old CD.

I think I may have FINALLY found a solution.

First I tried hanging an old CD from the basket and that seem to deter some of the birds, especially the smaller ones, but the large Robin that really wanted the prime real estate got bold enough to fly in. So being determined myself, I decided to the stick 2 CD’s down in the dirt of the basket sort of making a CD tent.  I think that did the trick.

I tried to photograph it above in case you are having the same bird trouble I was.

What a great way to recycle CD’s.  Now the Robin can find a nice spot in a tree and we humans can enjoy the flowers in the basket.

Have a great idea on how to reuse something, please share it.

Earth Day Treasure Hunt

  Earth Day is tomorrow and Yahoo Green has added a FUN contest with prizes to help us get more involved.They are hiding Earth Day Treasure Hunt in ReUse/Recycle Groups everywhere.

If you are not familiar with reuse groups, there are several around the world.

I belong to Freecycle.org and I think most other reuse group’s work in a similar fashion.  If you have something you don’t want anymore you post by email to the group about your item, list how someone can contact you to pick the item up.  Freecycle.org is free to be a member and you can not charge for anything you are listing to give away.  It also works in reverse.  If you need an item you can post what you are in need of and wait to see if someone has the item sitting around looking for a new home.

Freecycle groups are divided by areas such as the county or city you live in.  Having a local group is the key to success. There are no shipping charges and quick and easy pick up’s can be made.

From Yahoo Green Web Page:

To look for an Earth Day treasure:

1. Sign up with the reuse group nearest you, and keep your eyes peeled! At some point between April 20 and May 4, 2008, you may see a message from a member identified as Yahoo! offering an Earth Day treasure.
2. Reply to the message, and include this info in your email: your first and last name, your email address, and your Yahoo! ID. Just send one email. Sending multiple emails can get you disqualified.
3. If your email is the first one received that qualifies, you’ll get the goods.

Yahoo! might not tell the group about the winner because entries have to be verified. Limit is one prize per person. Prize winners will be notified no later than May 20, 2008.

Please read the complete rules for details.

Hurry on over to Yahoo Green for details and links to your reuse group and good luck treasure hunting.

BYOB

   Bring your own bag

Whole Foods Markets will stop using disposable plastic grocery bags on Earth Day, April 22, 2008.

I think that is a step in the right direction and hope other large companies take a similar action soon.  Banning plastic bags is undoubtedly good for the environment. 

Do you have your reusable bag with you when you need it?

If the paper bag option is easily available I don’t think most people will make the effort to remember their bag.

I do not see anything wrong with ONLY using cardboard boxes that stock came to the store in for shoppers who have forgotten their bags.

I hope Whole Foods and others will ad BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) campaigns to all their marketing efforts.

Hint to Whole Foods- A million dollar prize seems to motivate us to eat a lot of fast food burgers, I wonder if it wouldn’t do the same for the use of reusable bags.

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